Electoral Systems Flashcards
Where is FPTP used
To elect MPs in the UK general elections
What type of system is FPTP
Pluralist
Why has FPTP been criticised recently
Inability to prevent a hung parliament
Define mandate
Authority to govern
What are the four strengths of FPTP
Creates a clear mandate
Easy to understand
Prevents extremist parties
Open list
Main weaknesses of FPTP
Creates wasted votes
Excludes women and minorities
Encourages tactical voting
DISTORTS THE VOTE not proportional
What type of system is AMS
It is a hybrid (mixed) system:
• FPTP
• Proportional Representation
Where is the AMS used
In Scottish Parliament, welsh assembly, London assembly
How many votes are cast in AMS
2 votes
1 regional
1 constituent
How are regional seats allocated
On a corrective bases
Or ‘top up votes’
Calculated using d’Hondt formula
What are the main strengths of AMS
Parliament is more proportionate
Helps smaller parties gain seats=voices heard
Maintains clear link between MSPs and constituents
Reduces adversarial politics
Main weaknesses of AMS
Smaller parties gain less publicity than larger ones
More complex method of counting votes
More than one representative for an area
Where is STV used
In northern Irish assembly, European, local elections
Is STV proportionate or not
Yes
How do people vote in STV
Ranked
Ordinal
How many MPs are sent forward in STV
Each constituency sends a team of MPs from a large multi member constituency
What must a candidate do to be elected under STV
Must reach a quota set by the droop formula
What are the strengths of STV
Lots of voter choice Eliminates tactical voting Fewer votes are wasted as they are reassigned No safe seats Conciliatory voting
Main weaknesses of STV
Must be very politically involved to rank
Donkey voting
Party can put forward the best person who will win most votes
Ballot paper quite confusing
How many countries use party list
80
When is party list used
UK MEP elections and top up votes for AMS
Who do u vote for in party list
A particular party
Closed list
What happens under party list in large areas
Large areas vote to elect. Group of MPs which closely mirror the way the area has voted
What are the main strengths of Party List
Proportional system- few wasted votes
Small parties will be represented so people feel that there voices are being heard
Main weaknesses of party list
Weak Mp constituent link
Closed list- can not reject a particular MP
Power is in party headquarters
Increase in coalition government
What type of system is SV
A non proportional majoritarian system
What does SV look like on the ballot paper
Two columns on ballot paper ( first choice & second choice )
What happens if no candidate wins a majority under SV
Top two candidates progress - the 2nd choice votes are then factored in
Whoever had the most votes after this is the winner
Where is SV used
London mayoral elections
What are the main strengths of SV
Easy for voters to understand
Could encourage conscilliatory voting
Strong mp constituent link
Minority parties have voices heard not entirely wasted
Winner represents majority of constituency
What are main weaknesses of SV
Strongly promotes voting for top 3 parties
Lots of wasted votes
Encourage tactical voting
Not completely proportional
Rewards parties with concentrated support
What is AV
A lengthened version of SV, instead of two votes, voters can rank candidates and the lowest party is eliminated and votes are redistributed until one vote has a majority
What was the result of the referendum:
Should FPTP be replaced with AV
32% yes
68% no
What are the strengths of AV
Far more proportional than FPTP
Reduces tactical voting
Conscilliatory voting
Eliminates safe seats
What are weaknesses of AV
Have to be politically educated to rank Donkey voting Distorts votes Result in coalitions Complicated to understand
Give an example of the Un-proportionality of FPTP
Belfast MP McDonnell won with 25% of vote in 2015
How many votes and seats did UKIP get in 2010
1 million votes= no seats
A disadvantage of FPTP is that it creates huge regional imbalances, how many seats did conservative gets in GE in wales or Scotland- how much of vote
0 seats
21% of vote
In 2015 GE how many seats and votes did:
UKIP
LD
SNP
UKIP-13% of vote= 1 seat
LD-8% of vote= 8 seats
SNP-5% of vote= 56 seats
